You’d think Michelle Obama’s pals would be just a tad more grateful after sponging up all the best ducats and party invites for Barack Obama’s historic inauguration.

But apparently some of the First Lady’s friends ditched her in the presidential box on Inauguration Day, leaving her to wave and smile at an endless parade of high school bands – while the belle of the ball (multiple balls, actually) got only an hour to freshen up.

“I remember the inaugural parade and how the President and I stood and we waved until every last band walked by,” Obama said with a hint of martyrdom this morning as her Jason Wu-designed ball gown was officially handed over to the Smithsonian for posterity.

“Then we only had less than an hour — ladies, if you can believe that — all of my friends left us in the stands, by the way,” she continued.

“‘See ya, good luck.’ I was like, ‘Yeah, thanks.’ ‘We have to get ready for the ball.‘ ‘Like, yeah, so do I.’”

“So at the time I wasn’t really focused on what I was wearing that evening -– I was really just trying to stay warm.”

So who exactly has Obama steaming a year after that chilly D.C. day? Her “girlfriends” from Chicago, said her spokeswoman – not notables who joined the First Family in the presidential reviewing stand, like Valerie Jarrett and the Daleys.